See no chains
by Rangersan
Summary: A young boy, a lifeless land. Basically, a beginning story for Yogscast Rythian. Contains a lot of Yogscast. A lot.
1. It hasn't always been this way

Author's note: This is a backstory for Rythian and I own nothing. Please review if you like this!

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><p>The dark sky loomed over the floating island of pale rock. A young boy sat on the edge of the stone, as if waiting for something. He was tall for such a young boy, with dark brown hair and striking purple eyes. His posture was slouched, arms hugging his knees to his chest. The way he stared out into the un-star lit abyss was wistful, the cold light of the un-stars reflecting off his pupils. A deep rumble startled the boy from his dreaming. He stood, stiff from sitting, and began to walk back to the strange structures behind him. It was a city, cold and lifeless despite the bustle in its streets. The black material that it was made of contrasted starkly with the almost teal white stone that it rested on. The inhabitants of the city were the only color difference between the white and black. Their purple eyes imitated the boy's, or was it the other way around? They were unnaturally tall and thin, legs disproportionately longer than any other part of them. Above the city streets on a slight hill lay an extraordinary, but bleak, palace. On all sides of the palace rested columns of obsidian with runes of fire hovering above them. They trailed white beams of light into the palace, obviously fixed on a point. The boy walked through the dark arching gates of the palace into what could only be described as a courtyard. He hurried past the stubs of pale lichen that decorated the dead garden, increasing his pace as an even louder rumble echoed out from the palace. The large obsidian doors swung open for him as he walked past, the simple black cape he wore swishing behind him. He entered the throne room and sunk to his knees, the ease of the motion proving its familiarity. With his head bowed and the hurt in his eyes hidden the boy looked so young, so innocent. Before him, resting in a matrix of white light, sat a dragon. Her slender scaled neck and sleekly triangular head were clearly feminine, with the same purple eyes as her subjects, for clearly this was The Queen.<p>

"Mother." The boy hissed in a language like gravel. The dragon smiled, revealing needle sharp teeth.

"Rythian." She responded, her tail curling around the throne to caress Rythian's cheek. It was clear that he was doing his best to not flinch away.

"You called me?" he asked, the calm of his voice hiding his disgust. The Queen looked hurt and pulled her tail away.

"Yes. Tomorrow, as I'm sure you're aware, is your tenth birthday. This is a very important birthday, it's the day that all young endermen come of age." The Queen seemed pleased by this. "This means that you will have a ceremony, and I have something special planned. After all, the prince of the End deserves a proper ceremony."

"Yes mother." Rythian nodded, to all the world appearing as excited as he should. But internally he dreaded to think of what his mother could concoct to make his ceremony 'special.' The Queen flicked her tail delicately, clearly telling him he was dismissed. He headed to his room in the palace, identical in its bland color scheme and minimalistic style. All that separated it was the size. He sat on the bare stone of the floor and, checking that he was alone, pulled out a scrap of cloth from under a loose tile. He gazed at it as though it was pure gold, and in a way it was. The fabric in the boy's hands was red, a color he had no name for. It shone brightly in a land where black, white, and purple were the only colors to be found. He ran his hand over it reverently before placing it back in the floor. "I'll find your name." he whispered to the fabric. "I promise."


	2. I remember brighter days

Rythian awoke to a harsh cough at his door. He opened his eyes blearily, the fog of sleep still dragging at his eyes. In his doorway stood a servant, staring nervously at him.

"It's time, The Queen has called for you." It hissed, gesturing for Rythian to follow it. He stood obediently and walked through the twisting hallways, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. After several turns he began to realize that they weren't headed to the throne rooms, they were headed to the prisons. He frowned, nervous now. The corridor grew dimmer as they walked into the dungeon. Inside the dungeon sat his mother, surrounded by cages. They were all empty but one, covered by a black tarp. He bowed low to his mother, glancing at the cage out the corner of his eye.

"I see you've spotted your ceremony." The Queen hissed. "It was very hard to get, I hope you like it." She curled her tail around Rythian's shoulder, gently pushing him towards the cage. He put a hand on the fabric, glancing back at his mother. She gestured for him to pull it off. He gently pulled it off of the iron cage, and took a step back in surprise. In the cage, chained and gagged, sat a creature very unlike anything Rythian had seen. The creature looked like him.

AN: Yeah, this is a really short chapter. Sorry about that. But I am literally writing this in the middle of bio. Leave a review if you like!


	3. Before the dark ones came

Its skin was a pale white, covered in small dots that intrigued the boy. Its hair was black and long, reaching its shoulders. The clothes it wore were green, another color that was nowhere to be seen in the dead End. But it didn't have any red. Rythian looked again, desperately hoping to find the brilliant color.

"What is it?" He asked his mother. She smiled, so far as a dragon can, and gestured to the guard to remove its gag.

"Ask it yourself." She smirked. Rythian stepped closer, seeing for the first time the things lips, a pale pink that was so close to his color it frustrated him.

"What are you?" He asked, hoping that if it understood it could tell him more about the fabric. It stared blankly, clearly not understanding the question. "It doesn't understand me." He called back to his mother accusingly.

"That's because it's little more than an animal. This thing is a human, the things that occupy the lands of light where the wild ones go." She scoffed disdainfully. Rythian frowned, he had heard of the bright lands, a place of exile for endermen who lost their sanity. Apparently they were filled with a burning light and a harsh liquid that hurt endermen above anything else.

"What are those colors?" He asked, eyes riveted on the green of the things clothes. The Queen looked alarmed.

"What colors?" She asked, peering curiously over Rythian's shoulder. It sounded like she was lying, but Rythian dismissed the thought. Mother was many things, but she wasn't a liar.

"The ones on its clothes, I haven't seen colors like that before." He murmured, taking another step closer, his face almost touching the bars. The human stared back, its eyes the same green as its clothes. Rythian had never seen eyes of any color other than purple.

"That isn't important. What is important is what happens now." The Queen's eyes reflected the anticipation in her voice. Rythian raised an eyebrow in an unasked question. "Now you kill it. The meat will make a wonderful delicacy at your feast." Rythian started slightly, caught off guard by the Queen's request.

"Kill it?" he asked cautiously. The Queen nodded, gesturing to the sword at Rythian's belt.

"It's just an animal. Get it over with." She sighed, seeming bored. Rythian swallowed and moved closer. The thing began to make a whimpering noise, scooting away from the dark blade. It began to yell, its sounds indecipherable to him. He opened the door and walked in, intent to get this done as quickly and painlessly as possible. He put his sword to its throat and took a breath, looking away. He pulled in a quick motion, wincing at the cry of pain. He blinked and looked down at its still form, swallowing thickly. Then he froze. Gushing from under the things pale skin was a liquid, a _red_ liquid. His breathing quickened as he knelt down, dipping his fingers into the blood. He looked back at his mother, eyes wide.

"What's this color?" He asked fervently. The Queen smiled.

"That," She purred, "Is Red."

Who thought I was gonna have him object to killing her? Well. Um. I almost did, but then I thought about it.

Leave a review if you like!


	4. Stole my mind

Rythian strode darkly through the castle, ignoring the stares and bows of the servants as he passed. It had been a week since his birthday had come and gone, and he was still troubled by it. The sight of the blood had been welcoming, almost euphoric. But the human's eyes, they still haunted him. They had been so innocent and scared, and _intelligent_. Despite Mother's claim to the contrary, the human was clearly no simple animal. The similarity to his own body had unnerved him at the time, but now he began to question it. Why had he looked so much like the pale thing when he barely resembled the people who populated the End? And Mother had called him today, promising him another treat. He knew that he would be asked to end the thing, and he was disgusted with the part of him that anticipated it, that _needed_ it.

"Rythian?" He was jolted from his musing as he realized he had arrived at the dungeons. His mother peered at him, seeming somewhat concerned. Another cage sat in the corner of the room, uncovered. Rythian ignored it for now, fixing his attention on the Queen. "I brought you a new friend." She purred. "I thought it would make a good snack for you." With that she lazily strolled from the room, her tail swinging the door shut. Rythian looked into the cage, feeling slightly sick. The human inside looked older than the other had, with faint wrinkles about the corners of its eyes. It stared back at him with a strange calm, so unlike the fear of the previous thing. This one even had different colors, brown eyes and a lighter brown hair. It looked female to Rythian, even with his rough understanding of human anatomy. Her clothes were ragged and stained with blood and earth.

"Hello?" He said, hoping that maybe, _maybe_ this one would understand. She started slightly at his voice, but didn't seem to understand. He knew he couldn't kill her, knew that if he did he would never forgive himself and that if he didn't mother would never forgive him. "I'm Rythian." He said, pointing at himself in a vague hope she would understand.

"Rythian?" She repeated, slowly and cautiously. He nodded and she smiled. He stared at her newly exposed teeth, smooth and flat like his own. Not the jagged fangs of the Endermen. "Mary." She said, pointing to her own chest.

"Mary." He repeated, the word was foreign sounding. It had a lilting tone he had never heard before. She nodded. She said something he couldn't understand and gestured to the cage. He shrugged to show that he didn't understand and she frowned. She made a vague humming sound and appeared to think for a moment. Then she stood suddenly, the movement sending his hand to his sword. She raised her hands at the movement, speaking in a soothing voice as she inched closer. He took his hand from his sword and steadied his breathing. She pointed to the cage door and mimed turning a key. Then it clicked, she wanted him to let her out. He shook his head, trying to pantomime that he was supposed to kill her but didn't want to. Trying to show her that he was worried his mother would be angry if he let her out. She nodded, slightly paler now. Rythian stood for a moment, biting his lip in concentration. There was no way he could convince mother to let her live, that much he knew. And she would become suspicious if the prisoner just disappeared. Then he had it, a way to let her escape. There was no way out of the End as far as he knew, but he could at least get her off the menu. But first he would have to kill her.


	5. Wrapped my soul in chains

**A/N: Hi! Some of you may have noticed that I've changed the chapter titles. I'm giving free internet cookies and (If desired) a cameo in the story to the first person to guess the song. **

Mary POV:

The boy, Rythian, was thinking. I hadn't been sure at first whether he was friend or foe, but he seemed kind enough. When I had seen the doors open I had expected another of those foul endermen. But it had been a boy, little more than a child. That had made it all the more shocking when he told me that he had been told to kill me. I was jolted from my reverie when he started talking again, a strange language that sounded like a mix of hissing and dry crackles. He pantomimed something, bringing a finger across his throat in the universal 'death' gesture. I honestly had no idea what he was saying so I nodded, sincerely hoping he hadn't asked me a question. He seemed relieved that I had agreed, smiling as he opened the cage door. He drew his sword and I began to panic. He just kept walking towards me, biting his lip nervously. I stood my ground, deciding I could trust him. He lifted his sword to my neck, and I closed my eyes, trying to settle my racing heart. I felt the cold metal sweep across my throat and I screamed, a harsh sound that petered out as my windpipe was cut open. I opened my eyes, hands uselessly trying to stem the gushing liquid, but I slowly sank to the hard ground and saw naught but black.

Rythian stepped back, frantically wiping his hands against his black cape. He had to act quickly, otherwise he would have really killed her. He picked up the broken body, struggling beneath its weight. He shuffled out of the gloomy dungeons, leaving a red spot trail behind him. He desperately ignored the craving that rushed to the surface inside him, that urge to just obey his mother and let the thing be his snack. The need was so strong he almost lost his footing, staggering for a moment. He clenched his teeth and kept moving forwards, desperately trying to find mother. He called out to her and heard the rush of air that signaled her presence.

"You like your gift?" She purred, arching her shimmering black neck. Rythian nodded, giving his best smile.

"I was going to go eat it in private, may I?" He asked, trying to look like the young innocent boy he knew she adored.

"Of course." She nuzzled him gently. "Be sure to save a little bit of that red." He nodded and staggered off. After exiting the palace grounds he began to run, fearing he had already wasted too much time. He sprinted across the open pain to the side of the city until he reached a ramshackle hut, _his _ramshackle hut. He laid her on the floor inside, tearing off his cloak. He wrapped it around her neck and placed a hand atop it, concentrating. He forced his energy to the gash, wrapping it and stitching it better than any professional could have in seconds. Anyone else would have seen nothing more than a boy with his hand on a woman's throat, but someone with goggles of revealing (Or a powerful mage) would have seen the pale light that was healing her. Rythian began to shake slightly, he was a young boy yet and his magic was little more than a thread. He removed his hand with a gasp, breathing heavily and just barely keeping his balance. Her eyes fluttered open moments later and she groaned. Then she sat up, the abruptness of the motion startling Rythian slightly. He fell back onto his rump, staring up at Mary happily. He had done it.

Mary looked confused, taking in her slightly collapsed surroundings. When she saw Rythian the fear in her eyes eased slightly. He smiled, relieved that she was awake and lucid so quickly.

"Hello." He said, waving to emphasize the point.

"Hello." She waved back. Rythian listened to the word carefully, then he repeated it. She smiled and nodded. "Good."

Months passed in this manner. Rythian staying at the castle and quickly performing any duties he might have. He had successfully convinced his mother to not fetch any more 'treats,' giving the excuse that she shouldn't have to go to such trouble just for him. Instead they had settled on the small pink creatures, Mary had called them 'pigs,' as rewards. Whenever he could he would sneak from the castle to see Mary, bringing food. She in turn taught him her language, slowly but surely. They had an understanding of each other now. Rythian could recognize almost all the words she used, and when he couldn't he would ask. The little breaks from the castle were refreshing, but dangerous. Every time Rythian snuck out he looked over his shoulder. More than anything he feared being discovered. Punishments in the End were harsh and merciless, and Mary would almost certainly be killed. But over time the threat seemed to fade, Rythian grew more careless. He visited more often and took more food, not caring if someone noticed the emptying storeroom. Then the talking started. Little whispers broke out among the servants. They would abruptly stop when they noticed him, glaring in an odd mixture of fear and suspicion. His fear of discovery increased with the mutters, and even mother seemed distrustful. He looked over his shoulder more often now, and his visits were less frequent. But still, it was not enough.

Rythian was walking the corridors again. His confident gait now faltering and almost mouse-like. His pockets bulged with the dark gray bread that was the common fare of the End. It had been days since he had been able to go to Mary, and he worried for her health. He passed a group of servants, their eyes following him. He glared back.

"What?" He snarled. They looked down, bowing to him. Somehow this made him angrier. He looked at their long bodies and pitch black skin. He looked nothing like them. How had he ever believed himself one of them? He mused over this as he kept walking. The bustling hallways seemed hostile, despite the careful bows and respectful nods. When he finally made it out of the palace and onto the bleak plains of stone he gave a relieved sigh. It was calmer here. The hut still stood, its walls in a slightly better condition due to Rythian's labor. When he opened the door Mary gave a slight squeak of surprise, placing a hand over her heart.

"You scared me!" She exhaled, laughing slightly. Rythian smiled and pulled the bread from his pocket.

"I brought some food. I know it's not much, but I couldn't risk taking more." Rythian handed her the coarse food and sat on the floor.

"Thank you Rythian." She said, ruffling the young boy's hair. "Any progress on finding a way out?"

"No. Mother's been avoiding me. I'm not sure why but it makes me nervous." Rythian pulled his knees to his chest and leaned against Mary's legs. She stroked his hair thoughtfully. At this point Rythian was less a friend and more a son to her. Or at least a younger brother.

"There has to be a way out. If they can throw the insane Endermen out, surely there's an exit." She said, brow furrowed.

"But Endermen can teleport." Rythian sighed. "We can't." Mary frowned.

"You can't teleport?" she asked incredulously. Rythian shrugged.

"Why would I be able to?" Rythian raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like an Enderman?" She had to admit that, despite his height and blue/purple eyes, he really didn't.

"I suppose you're right. It just seems so hopeless." Mary clenched a fist in frustration. "I want to see the stars again, the real stars. I want to see live animals, green foliage, my spaceman…" Her voice got softer towards the last part, her gaze following an unseen image.

"You'll get back there." He said. "I promise." They sat in companionable silence, content to just be in each other's presence.

"Well this is all very sweet." Came a rumbling voice. "But I'm afraid we're going to have to interrupt this, tender, moment."

**A/N: Spaceman you say? Don't worry, this was very little action, it gets better next time. **


	6. Now I live among the dead,

Rythian leapt to his feet, sword drawn. Standing in the doorway to the hut was mother, a crowd of Endermen flanking her.

"Stay behind me." He told Mary in English, suddenly glad that he had taken the time to learn the language. Mother laughed.

"Are you going to defend the creature with a toothpick?" Mother asked, looking derisively at his sword.

"I'll fight you if I have to." Rythian growled, taking a step forward. "Or you could just let us leave." He was unsure where this sudden burst of confidence came from.

"Let you leave?" Mother looked shocked. "What do you mean, leave?"

"I want to go to the bright lands. I want to see the sky and the real stars. I want to get away from all the pale death that lingers here." Rythian said, knowing he couldn't convince her. But he had to try.

"She's poisoned you." Mother hissed. "You don't really want that."

"I do. The only poisoner here is you." Rythian countered, suddenly wary of the sounds he could hear from behind the hut. His suspicions were confirmed when a crackling vorp sounded behind him. He spun, seeing Mary's surprised face vanish in an instant, reappearing by Mother. She hung loosely from the arms of one of the Queen's guard.

"Put her down!" He yelled, rushing forward. Many pairs of arms restrained him, pulling him to his knees. He tried to shake free, but there were too many. "Let me go!"

"Calm down Rythian, you're getting hysterical." Mother said gently. "Don't make us subdue you." Rythian glared at her. The arms wrenched him up again, practically dragging him towards the castle. He expected to be taken to the dungeons or at the very least his room, but they passed both. Instead they headed for a deeper place in the castle. Rythian's eyes widened when he realized where they were headed. He pulled against the restraining arms again, yelling and kicking. It did no good. He tried to bit the hands on his arms, desperate now. His mother yelled to subdue him, and a sharp pain flashed in the back of his skull. Then nothing.

He awoke chained. There was a cold tube fastened to his arm and black metal cuffs linking him to the wall. He was in the lab. The black walls of the lab seemed small and claustrophobic. Every movement Rythian made sent a small shock through him. It seemed the cold chains were electric. Rythian glared at the darkened pane of glass before him, his hostility not yet spent. His mother's smirking face stared back, her jeweled eyes so much colder than he remembered.

"What did you do to her!" He screamed, ignoring the harsh shock as he pulled at the black metal. There was a chorus of hissing laughter from the other room as the Endermen threw their heads back in a sort of mirth.

"We've done nothing, and we won't." Mother hissed. "You will." Her amethyst eyes bored into his.

"Never." He growled. "I'm not your servant anymore. I know who I am now, _what _I am. You can't just order me around now!"

"Really?" Mother's eyes crinkled in amusement. "And what if you didn't have a choice?"

"I would never harm Mary, not even if you threatened my life." Rythian was doing his best to sound defiant.

"Who said anything about threatening?" The queen's voice grew cold. "No Rythian. You are going to do this on your own free will. And you are going to enjoy it, every single moment. Because, you see," She began to pace slightly, casually inspecting the lines of glowing monitors. "We have found a way to fix you."

"You say that like _I'm _the one that's broken. Like I'm the one who would kill someone simply because it was fun." Rythian broke in angrily.

"I know." The Queen sighed. "But you will be, I promise. We'll finally be able to rid you of that pesky morality and make you something more, something stronger." She smiled warmly. "I'm doing this for you Rythian. I'm doing it because I love you."

"You don't love me!" He hissed, squinting his pale purple eyes in anger. "You stole me! I'm no more than a toy to you." The Queen flinched, visibly hurt by his words.

"You don't know what you're saying." She whispered. "You've clearly been influenced by this _Mary._ But don't worry, that will be gone soon." She rapped the iron door that led out of the labs and it opened. Several more Endermen filed in, carefully looking at the ground. They each stood by a monitor, long black fingers hovering above the keys expectantly.

"You're right in saying you're not one of us Rythian. But that will soon be behind us. You see Rythian, through science we have discovered something beautiful. Genetics. Your redemption twisted into a spiraling staircase that lies in us all. With that and a little bit of magic we can give you a new body." She smiled happily, searching his face for the same joy.

"Your majesty." One of the Endermen broke in, bowing low. "We cannot wait longer, else the sample will be unusable." The Queen nodded thoughtfully.

"Then we shall begin." She looked regretful. "I'm sorry that we must do this before you agree to it Rythian, my child. But you would have come round. I know it."

"I would never agree to this!" He yelled out, ignoring the sparking liquid flowing down the tube in his arm. "And I will never love you!" He had opened his mouth to continue his rant when the liquid made its way into his arm.

At first it was simply cold, a chill racing its way through his veins. Then it began to burn. Rythian gritted his teeth and arched his back, refusing to scream, refusing to be weak before these monsters. But the burning just grew, pushing its way across his body and he gave in. He sank to his knees, the chain's shock barely noticeable. It started as a low sob, pushing its way from his chest, but it quickly grew with the pain into a scream. There was no thought, no reason. All he felt was fire in his veins and acid in his throat. The tears streaming down his face began to burn like they were boiling. In a desperate effort to make the pain stop he pulled on the chains. They gave slightly. Hope flooded him and he pulled harder, yelling at the effort. As he yelled he felt the skin on his jaw pull and twist, splitting at the corners of his mouth. He ignored the pain and put all his strength into his arms. Just as he felt his strength begin to waver there was a groan of metal. The chains were pulled from the wall and he collapsed forward, the tube having fallen out with the chains. He heard yelling from the other room and the door into the chamber was kicked down. Rough hands grabbed him and dragged him from the room. He was layed before his mother, his eyes barely slits as he fought back the blackness that promised to ease his pain.

"Why did you do that?" She murmured, nuzzling his face with her scaled nose. "You could have been even greater." She sighed.

"Your majesty, it would not be wise to try again." Came the harsh voice of the Enderman. Rythian tried to open his eyes again. But they wouldn't cooperate. He heard his mother reply, but he couldn't seem to hear the words. The blackness was back, calling to him again. This time he gave in, letting an unexplainable warmth overtake him.


	7. Fighting Voices In My Head

Rythian awoke in his room. He had been laid onto his pile of blankets, one pulled up to his chin. He snuggled down further, yawning gently. Then he stopped, his expression one of horror. He raised a hand to his face, confirming what he had already known. His mouth now stretched wider than the outer edges of his eyes. The skin around it felt rough and broken. His cheeks still stung from the shining tears that had forced themselves from his eyes. He threw off the covers and stood, a rush of lightheadedness almost sending him back to his knees. The room seemed smaller than he remembered, his head neared the ceiling. He took a steadying breath and walked out of the plain room. The hallways were bare, deserted. There was no sound except his feet impacting lightly with the floor. There was no light except for a dark purple glow that didn't seem to have a source. He could hear his heartbeat in the thick silence, echoing hollowly against his chest.

"_Rythian_." Something whispered. He spun around, hand reaching instinctively for a sword that wasn't there. He scanned the dark hallways, no one. His heartbeat picked up. "_Why aren't you listening?"_ The voice seemed directionless. As he concentrated more voices joined the first, some loud and others soft. Each had its own voice, its own words. He turned frantically, desperately scanning every corner for the source. Nothing. One voice was a back drop, setting the beat for the cacophony of others. "_Listen to Mother, obey Mother. Listen to Mother, obey Mother…." _Repeating over and over again. His heartbeat peaked as he realized the voices didn't have a source, they were in his head. Some whisper words about obedience, others urged him to do horrible things. And some simply screamed. He leaned against the wall, gripping his pounding skull. Covering his ears in a futile effort to keep the voices away. They quieted slightly. He took a steadying breath and continued, searching for Mother. No, searching for the Queen. That beast wasn't his mother, she never had been. The halls seemed slightly off as he kept walking, almost tilted. He found himself stumbling, the voices increasing in volume. He shook his head, leaning on his knees to steady himself. That's when he noticed his arms, crisscrossed with angry red lines. What had happened to him?

He pushed onward, trying to ignore the dizzying pain in his head. He leaned heavily on the wall, not trusting his balance. He stumbled through the halls to the dungeons, an inexplicable instinct leading him. He saw the vague flickering light of a cold lamp, a lamp filled with black light, lighting the walls. The purple glow was less obvious as he walked into the light. The small dungeon felt cramped, a host of Endermen formed a half circle around the Queen. He saw what was almost pride shining in her eyes as he staggered in.

"Did I not tell you he would wake?" The Queen smiled as the Endermen bowed their heads in apology. "My son is strong, stronger now more than ever." Rythian wanted to be angry, he wanted to feel the same rage that had burned in his chest when he had been chained. That rage had meant he was free, that his emotions were his own and there was no sweet concealing lies keeping the anger at bay. But now he felt blank, like a slate wiped of anything but the smooth gray of calm.

"What did you do to me?" He asked, wishing that he could put more force into the words. Mother looked at him tenderly, an expression he had not seen since his early childhood.

"I fixed you." Was it possible for such simple words to be so full of lies? "Not all the way, but enough. We would go further, we would perfect you, but in doing so we risk your life. And I would never do that." The Queen sounded sincere.

"I don't feel 'fixed.' I feel weakness and pain." Rythian was leaning against a low table, legs barely able to support him.

"The pain will pass." The dragon assured him.

"What about the voices?" He questioned, a new wave of murmurs racing through his skull.

"A simple reminder for you, one could call them your conscious." She said dismissively.

"A conscious doesn't yell at you to torture and kill." Rythian replied. It was getting harder to ignore those particular voices, much less the mantra that pounded unrelentingly.

"Doesn't it?" The Queen shrugged, insofar as dragons are able. "You'll get used to them. But that isn't important now."

"Then what is?" Rythian was slowly inching away from the table, strength returning to his limbs.

"Well, we've fixed you. You are now truly an Enderborn, but the test of your loyalty remains. I, of course, have no doubt that you see the truth now but others are more skeptical. You did behave very erratically." As the Queen paused Rythian knew with sudden clarity what was about to be asked of him. "I'm willing to forgive your behavior in the labs, I'm even willing to forgive the fact that you hid an enemy from us. But only if you finish what you should have done months ago." The entire room seemed to hold its breath for his answer.

"And if I say no?" He asked, ignoring the sudden pain that flared in his skull as he all but refused. The Queen's eyes narrowed angrily.

"Then we punish you both." Her voice was colder than ice. Not that he had ever felt ice, only heard it described by Mary.

"I won't do it, no matter what you do to me." He growled. The Queen rolled her eyes.

"You've said that before, and look where we are now." She sighed. "I will give you one last chance, kill the creature or you both die."

"No." Rythian said. The voices hissed angrily, urging him to change his mind. She wasn't worth it, they whispered. He pushed their words aside. "Never."

"Then bind him. And bring me the girl." Rough hands seized his arms again, pulling the chains around his wrists. The hands stayed, keeping him in place.

"Rythian!" Mary's voice called from behind him. He tried to turn, but the Endermen holding him were too strong. He tried to call her name, but strong hands clapped over his mouth.

"Mmm!" He managed to grunt. She was dragged into view. Her long brown hair was tangled and coated in drying blood. She had scrapes and bruises all over. She was looking at him in horror, her brown eyes wider than he had thought possible.

"What did they do to you?" She whispered, trying to get to him despite the Endermen dragging her along. The Queen hissed at her and angry murmurs broke out among the Endermen present.

"This is the creature that poisoned my son!" She proclaimed. "This is the creature that would seek to turn him against us and crumble our kingdom!"

"I did noth-" Mary's voice was cut off by a clawed hand over her mouth. For his part Rythian was too shocked to even think of resisting. The way Mary had looked at him, it had been in fear yes, but also disgust. Rythian had simply thought his cheeks torn from the combination of screaming and the liquid fire that they had forced into his veins. But her look, coupled with the strange light in the hallways and his apparent growth spurt, had him fearful of something worse.

"What is your judgment?" The Queen ignored Mary's outburst. "What would you do to the enemy who so stealthily sabotaged us and the traitor the viper created?"

"Death. Death for the daughter of light, for the snake tonged." The crowd murmured.

"And for the boy?" The Queen seemed as though she could be talking of an animal for all she seemed to care.

"Banished. Let him burn in the light he so desired, his failed blood undoing him." Came the crowds reply. Rythian felt weak at the knees. He had heard stories, the light that scorched flesh from bone and a liquid that melted even that. They may as well have killed him for all the chance of survival that gave him.

"He will burn. Of that we shall be sure." The dragon laughed, and the voices echoed. "First the girl, then we can throw him into the portal." Rythian looked up sharply, a portal. That was the way out of here. He remembered, years ago, hearing the gentle humming of one through a wall. There had been no door to it. Even if he couldn't follow, it would still be a way for Mary to get home. But first they needed to escape.

"Who would like to do the honors?" The Queen asked, smiling into the eager crowd. One of the burlier stepped forward, unsheathing the dark metal blade at his waist.

"It would be a pleasure." He hissed. Mary seemed to finally understand what was happening and began to struggle against the Endermen holding her. "This is for our people!" He growled, moving his sword to her throat and pulling across.

Time slowed. Rythian saw the look of pain and fear cross her face as the dark blade began to carve a trench into her pale skin. He pulled at his captors, screaming. He felt something in him push and he shot forward, suddenly at Mary's side. The moment ended and she collapsed. Too late, he was too late. But not even the pain of her death could drown his surprise. He had just teleported. Even the Queen looked shocked, her mouth slightly open.

"Grab him!" The Queen yelled, sounding amazed. Rythian grabbed Mary's broken body and ran. It was several seconds before the Endermen had recovered enough to chase him. He sprinted down the halls, reaching the wall only paces ahead of his pursuers. Rythian closed his eyes, trying to find that energy again. He twisted the air around him, imagining that the wall was not even there. He collapsed on the other side. The darkened room was lit by the same purple light he had seen in the hallway mixed with a turquoise from the portal itself. The portal was the perfect reflection of the fake stars of The End, seemingly infinite. He heard the sounds of Endermen behind him and his concentration broke. He panicked, tossing Mary through the portal without a second thought. He turned to face them. Unwavering stares from purple eyes glared back.

"Goodbye." He whispered, throat dry in terror. He stepped backwards, feeling his foot hit a cold surface. It tugged him down, pulling him into its depths. The last thing he saw was Mother's face, looking down at him in pity.

**A/N: Heh heh, please don't kill me. **


	8. Hoping Someone Hears Me

Martyn had been wandering the forest for almost an hour, tending to the plants and contemplating the world. He brushed his pale blond hair out of his eyes as he stooped to plant a sapling. The little rainbow tree sapling that he had 'liberated' from Sjin perked up immediately, finally in a real forest. As he stood, wiping the dirt from his hands (but just succeeding in rubbing it in), he heard a loud crack as though a tree had fallen. He rushed towards the noise, maybe it wasn't too late to save the tree! But instead of a breaking, or broken, tree he saw a human. Scratch that, it definitely wasn't human. It looked like a young boy, just over ten or so, with dark brown hair. He was taller than normal, almost as tall as the tree sprite himself, with unusually monochrome clothing. But the thing that defined him as most certainly not human was the lower half of his face. And, Martyn mentally added, the faint purple light seeping from under his eyelids. The sprite knelt down, checking for wounds, but couldn't see any. But there was blood all over his plain gray tunic. Martyn glanced at the setting sun, coming to a decision. He pulled the boy up onto his shoulder, grunting at the effort, and carried him back to his camp.

The first thing Rythian was aware of was the smell. A warm, smoky smell accompanied by crackling and the occasional clump of a heavy object falling. There was also a humming in the background, surprisingly tuneful. Rythian continued to lay on the uneven ground, fascinated by the flickering red and orange light that was dancing across the inside of his eyelids. The humming stopped as Rythian sat up.

"Look who woke up!" Came a cheerful voice from behind him. Rythian turned to see a man grinning so wide his smile seemed to stretch almost as far as Rythian's could now. He had floppy pale yellow hair that was lying against a bright green cloth band. His eyes were a sparkling blue that seemed to have a smile all their own. Even his garb seemed cheerful, a vibrant green tunic with an odd symbol marked in a darker green. His pants were a dark brown. It was then that Rythian caught sight of the man's ears. They were pointed at the tips and longer than average. Mary's ears had been smooth, was this a male thing? But then again Rythian's ears were smooth as well.

"Why are your ears pointy?" Rythian asked, his voice scratchy. The man laughed.

"Of all the things I expected, hello, where am I, what happened, I was not expecting you to question my ears." His answer seemed joking enough, but he sounded a little hurt all the same. "I'm a sprite, we all have pointy ears."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't even know sprites existed." Rythian said apologetically. "What's your name?"

"I'm Martyn Littlewood. I'm the guardian of this forest, and most of the forests around here come to think of it." The last part seemed more of an afterthought.

"I'm Rythian En- Just Rythian." He cut off his last name, it wasn't something he was comfortable using now.

"How did you get here? When I found you, you were on the forest floor." Martyn asked. Rythian frowned. He remembered the portal…and mother…and, oh.

"Mary!" He stood up urgently. "Was there anyone next to me? Did you see a lady nearby?" The tree sprite shook his head.

"Sorry, no one. It was just you." Martyn looked sympathetic. "Was she your mom?"

"No, a friend. She was really hurt when we…" Rythian trailed off. He knew Mary was dead. There was no feasible way she could have survived, but maybe he could heal her. "We need to look. She'll be there, she has to be!"

"But it's the middle of the night! Mobs will be everywhere!" Martyn exclaimed, gesturing to the sky. Rythian didn't even bother to look up at the stars he had always longed to see.

"Just show me which direction then, you don't have to come." Rythian scowled. Martyn rolled his eyes.

"Fine, come on. It's this way." The sprite headed out of the camp, gesturing for Rythian to follow. Martyn had been right about mobs, there were dozens of them crawling about the forest. But they didn't seem particularly observant. They made good time, arriving at the spot only minutes later. Rythian frowned, noticing the forest lit with the same purple light he had seen in the End. An idea struck him and he closed an eye experimentally. The light dimmed immensely. Apparently his eyes glowed now. Martyn and him searched the vegetation for a good five minutes before Rythian found her. She was lying in a bush, totally still. Rythian pulled her onto a clear patch of ground, her blood pooling darkly in the soft loam. Her eyes were closed, mouth slightly open from her final breath. Rythian reached for her neck with shaking hands, searching for a pulse. Nothing.

"Mary?" He whispered, shaking her gently. He didn't really expect a response. Tears began to slide silently down his face, leaving burning red trails in their wake. He lowered his head, his tears mingling with the blood on the ground. Rythian's face was reflected in the pool, not unlike a demon peering up from a hellgate. The skin on his lower face was tar black, a bleak plain broken by ridges of purple veins and valleys of torn flesh that oozed purple. His mouth was a worse, an uneven trench that hid jagged fangs and a black tongue. His eyes were a deep purple now, with sparks of turquoise shifting near the pupil. Those eyes narrowed in rage. The Queen had taken so much from him; his childhood, his humanity, even his sanity. But now she wished to take his little scrap of light, his only companion? No.

"NO!" Rythian yelled, startling Martyn. He refused to just let Mary die. If his eyes had been glowing before, now they burned. Purple mist leaking from his eyes and fingers Rythian pressed his hand to her throat. The mist shot into her, and both she and Rythian tensed. A ripple of pain forced a pained yell from Rythian, but he kept pushing. He reached deeper, the pain almost intolerable, every drop of power forced into her still corpse. Suddenly a pair of hands was wrenching him away, calling his name. Rythian lay prone on the forest floor, breathing heavily. Martyn helped him to a sitting position, holding the poor boys shoulders.

"That's enough." Martyn's voice cut into the stillness that had beset the forest.

"Never enough." Rythian coughed, shaking his head.

"She's dead Rythian, you did your best."

Rythian nodded, but he didn't believe it. He hadn't been enough. He wasn't strong enough. A low growl echoed from his throat, mirroring his broken heart. Mother would pay for this.

**A/N: Dan dun DAAAA**


	9. Crying in the night

The walk back to camp was agonizingly silent. It seemed the mobs in the vicinity had fled when Rythian's 'light show' had gone off. Rythian trudged behind Martyn, his feet barely lifting from the ground. He still wasn't sure exactly what he had done, but it seemed his magic had grown immensely. And it had left him utterly drained. Even the voices were relatively quiet, only piping up now and then to remind him of his inadequacy. They had buried Mary where she lay, marking the site with a simple wooden gravestone and a sapling planted over her. She was finally back with the nature she had longed for. They stepped past the tree line bordering the simple camp, nothing more than a cloth tent and a fire pit. Rythian sat on a stump by the edge of the fire, staring emptily into the dancing flames. He watched one in particular, mostly red and orange unlike the other more yellow and golden ones. It was weaving around like there was music playing, music only it could hear. Curiously he put his hand out to it, jerking back as it scorched his palm.

"Have you never seen fire before?" Martyn chuckled as Rythian stared at the red blister forming on his skin.

"Not fire like this." A faint purple mist was wrapping around the wound. "Ours is black, and cold." Rythian clenched his hand, the blister completely gone.

"Ours?" Martyn asked cautiously. Rythian looked up, eyes full of memories.

"Yes. You see, this is my first time in the brightlands." Rythian swallowed nervously, how would the sprite react? "I was raised in the End."

"You're saying that you were raised by a big angry dragon and a bunch of skinny screaming people?" Martyn laughed, clearly thinking it a joke.

"Yes." Rythian said simply, Martyn sobered immediately, realizing Rythian was serious.

"Is that how…" He trailed off, making a vague gesture towards his mouth. Rythian nodded. "Tell me, how did that happen?"

Rythian explained, how he had been stolen as a child, as a baby, and raised as a prince. He explained Mary and how she had taught him. He explained the experiment. Martyn cringed at that part. They talked until the moon was hovering just above the horizon, clinging to the stars in a desperate attempt to stay up. But it fell anyways, catapulting the sun up in its wake. Rythian stared in awe at the vivid shades of red and pink that stretched like fingers through the sky, shattering the night. Martyn smiled quietly at his expression. Rythian had all but forgotten the stories of the burning sun until it pushed its way from under the distant mountains. It felt like the lower part of his face had caught fire. He gave vent to a yell, sprinting to the shady protection of the tent. Martyn came running over.

"Are you ok?" He said, standing just outside the tent. Rythian nodded.

"I am now, the sun burned me." Rythian took a deep breath, calming his racing heart.

"The sun burns you? That's…interesting." Martyn was stood directly in the sun, as if nothing could be more natural.

"Just the area around my mouth." He shrugged, pretending it was no big deal. But honestly it hurt him to think he shared a weakness with _monsters._ Martyn put on what could on be described as a 'thinking face.' He put a hand under his chin, staring off ponderously. This lasted all of two seconds before his face brightened.

"I'll be right back!" He exclaimed, scurrying off towards the chest by the fire. He lifted the lid, putting his head and shoulders inside as he rummaged through with one hand, muttering to himself. He emerged moments later, triumphantly holding a long strip of purple cloth above his head. "Found it!"

"Found what, exactly?" Rythian smiled at the sprite's antics. Martyn waved the thing like a flag.

"This should help. Here." Martyn tied the thing around his neck, pulling it up over the tip of his nose. Surprisingly, it fit quite well. "Perfect!" he beamed. "Now you even look kinda mysterious and scary."

Rythian stepped out of the tent hesitantly, still tense. The sun hit his skin, but nothing happened. Rythian relaxed, stepping out fully and enjoying the warmth. He looked around the forest in wonder, he had never seen anything by light of day. It seemed so full of life, bunnies hopping around and scaring squirrels from their stashes of acorns. Birds twittered to one another and landed on the backs of the placid wild pigs. It was a polar opposite of the lifeless End, with the bustling living feel and the bright blue sky above. Rythian was entranced.

"It's beautiful." He whispered. Martyn looked around proudly.

"It is, isn't it. And most of this was planted by me!" The sprite ran a tender hand over the bark of a towering oak.

"But these trees are ancient, and huge!" Rythian looked over at the sprite in confusion. Sure, Martyn looked like an adult, but he didn't look old. Not even as old as Mary! Martyn just laughed.

"I'm a bit older than I look. Comes with the job." He shrugged.

"What exactly is your job?" Rythian asked.

"This." Martyn made a wide gesture to the surrounding forest. "Tending the trees, clearing the occasional curse, and helping anyone that needs it. There's a village not far from here that is constantly coming to me with their problems."

"Sounds interesting. We didn't have anything like this in the End, just a bunch of rocks." Rythian knelt, looking at all the leaves on the ground.

"Rocks could be cool too. I like rocks. Well, Lapis anyway. Technically that's not a rock though, it's a mineral. I'm rambling aren't I?" Martyn looked embarrassed. "It happens after little to no human contact for a couple decades." Rythian wasn't sure how long a decade was, but that sounded pretty long.

"What's lapis?" Rythian asked. Martyn shot to his feet, practically glowing.

"I'll show you, follow me!" With that the sprite sprinted towards a precarious staircase in the ground, throwing a pickaxe to a bemused Rythian. "Then I can show you saplings!" Rythian shook his head at the excitable sprite, following him down the hole and bumping his head on every step.


End file.
